I have to agree that because i also read the books, there are definately pirates involved. I'm not sure how they would incorporate but it may work. I haven't seen what the other ideas they're currently lingering on about though.

If they revealed pirate as a fifth class, how popular would you think it'd be? I would suspect that it would be the least favorite class out of all characters and it wouldn't have the 'wow' factor if revealed at Blizzcon.

Now now ladies and gentlemen all pirates did not have guns, nor were they all evil, or bad. they were men in search of riches and adventure. The glory and freedom of the ocean, diablo threatens his very way of living as well as everyone's way of living. If diablo ruled the world there would be rivers of lava or flame, not water.
In my honest opinion if there was a pirate he would be my number one choice.
which brings me to another topic, why is diablo only limited to the land. why not have creatures of the deep just as evil as the ones on the land. Also if im not mistaken you had to take a boat to travel to act 2 and 3.... so who says pirates wouldn't be around. There were boats, with people who had swords and other weapons on them. that killed things. and stole loot from their body. (pirate)

Actually, pirates sounds a little silly - but thinknig it over a bit, I like it. Especially since The Black Road was my favourite Diablo book by far. One of the dead captains in the book even had a one-handed, concealable crossbow that he used to assassinate a clergyman. Pirates can fill in a lot of voids if you think about it:

1. Support: Good Pirate captains knew how to rally their men in times of war and combat. So why can't they help boost their teammates' confidence up against the legions of hell?

2. Ranged skills: As mentioned, pirates using ranged weapons has already happened in the diablo universe. If simple guns (ie flintlock pistol) were used and kept to the exact same mechanics as the bow in diabloII, I may not mind. If not, then aside from plain crossbows, I don't see why pirates couldn't use a normal bow/long bow etc. They used them to lauch a pre-raid assault on an enemy ship, right after cannons were used.

3. Sword and Shield: In the books, the pirates were described to be amazing sword weidlers using Cutlasses, Scimitars and Sabres. I'm not 100% sure on whether they could use shields or not, but if they could - it would help fill in the "sword and shield" gap some peeps have been bitching for a while about here (despite we have a plausible sword-and-shield barbarian).

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One becomes strong when they are fighting to protect someone close to them... - Shiro Haku

I still don't see the humor in this pirate situation. A 2 year old Autistic amputee would've been able to think of a better idea, even as a joke.

Look at above. That sounds like a pretty stupid idea, right? Again, it worked.

Quote from Meteoro »

Why the hell dont Guns fit into the Diablo Universe?

They might. Play through Assassin's Creed II? Ezio had access to a one-shot pistol in his gauntlet. It worked pretty well.

In Lord of Destruction, the Barbarian weapons master mentions developing a weapon that used gun powder and cannonballs. Sanctuary has reached the age of gunpowder, like it or not.

Why would a weapon like a one-shot flintlock not work in the world of Diablo? Give me valid reasons and not snark or sarcasm.

Quote from wooties »

How do you expect a hero to come from pirates? like hell they give a shit about diablo

You assume that all pirates are horrible individuals deep inside. Even unlawful people have scruples. Just because you go against the law doesn't mean you're evil.

Even the selfish and morally bankrupt can realize the dangers of a world consumed by the foul darkness of Diablo and the Burning Hells. If you don't fight against that, then there will be no world left to you or anyone else.

I see Pirates as being dexterous warriors who depend on their skills with swords, traps, ranged weaponry, and teamwork and leadership skills to win through. Whether they're sailing the high seas or raiding on land, they're avid treasure hunters and soldiers of fortune, risking life and limb for a few more shillings, glory, or salvation. Moreover, I see this as an opportunity for the regular human to contribute to the fight against Diablo. Everyone else has magic and fire and the undead to fight with. A pirate only has his wits and martial skill to win him through.

All that said, Pirates would be a cross between Assassins and Amazons, fulfilling our need for a ranged support class and trap-oriented warrior.

Now give me valid reasons why this wouldn't work.

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Be it through hallowed grounds or lands of sorrow
All in the Forger's wake is left bereft and fallow

Is the residuum worth the cost of destruction and maiming;
Or is the shaping a culling and exercise in taming?

The road's goal is the dark Origin of Being
But be wary through what thickets it winds.

-Excerpt from the Litany of Residuum;
As Translated by He Who Brings Order

1. Let's look at this logically. Don't you think that guns would be seriously overpowered? What advantage does a bow have against a gun? Absolutely none. A hardened warrior would be able to brush an arrow wound away like nobody's business, but a gunshot?

2. Not everybody is going to be able to use the gun except the "pirate". The witch doctor isn't just going to whip out a gun and neither are the barb, wizard, or monk. That means that you have to be a pirate to use a gun and that will piss a lot of people off.

3. How would guns progress? There are many classes of swords in Diablo, so where does a flintlock pistol go after you've become to strong for it? Do you advance to a shotgun? Anybody smart enough to know that a single shotgun blast would put down anybody will say that a shotgun is way too overpowered, so why even advance in guns if it's so hard to do.

4. Let's say you go against a barb with an iron shield. What's keeping him from deflecting the bloody bullet? That makes the barb stronger than the gun, so the gun is useless in situations with a shield.

5. You have to reload guns. Bows need arrows, guns need bullets. Do you know how long it took for primitive guns to reload? A long time, and don't call me out for being realistic, I'm just trying to make this seem practical. In the time it would take him to reload his little pistol, he'd be overpowered by foes.

And debate all you like about what the guy in Act V said about "gunpowder and cannonballs", that really just sounds like a cannon to me. A cannon and a gun are not the same thing, believe it or not. You can't carry a cannon in your pocket.

And, frankly, the thought of a pirate class makes me through up in my mouth a little. I'm not going to have a little swashbuckler running around Sanctuary with a flintlock pistol, that does not fit with the Diablo mood at all. He'll get torn to shreds, just watch the gameplay videos with the barb.

1.) You're working under the false assumption that being pierced by an arrow is something you survive from or can easily fix. It isn't. Using a bow and arrow takes a great deal of training and physical exertion, and being shot by one usually means death. "But," you may say, "guns are easier to use!" Well, this is true... at close range. Beyond six feet, however, guns take a LOT of skill and handling to aim, especially in combat situations. Trust me; from experience, I can safely say that even shot guns are hard to use, and the scatter effect you see in games doesn't really happen.

All this said, damage can and will be adjusted for gameplay. Being hit by a fireball or molten lava should by all rights kill you. It doesn't in Diablo.

2.) I was thinking it was more an ability, like an Assassin's traps were "abilities" that required energy. And how would that annoy people? Should I be annoyed that my Necromancer can't use the fire magic of a Sorceress?

3.) Great point, and one I was pondering over before. I don't know, but I'm sure that, if the gun were to be used at a higher level, some upgraded version could be applied, but it isn't necessary. Many of the abilities in D2 become obsolete later on and don't have a higher-level counterpart. Maybe the Flintlock is one of them?

4.) And it wouldn't deflect an arrow? Gameplay mechanics, again.

5.) Another great point. Maybe the gun has a "cooldown" time, or may be a quick way to deal damage while the player resorts to other tactics?

You can't carry a cannon in your pocket.

True story. But isn't it a small leap between the two? Wouldn't someone think, "Y'know, this weapon is great, but if I could somehow miniaturize it..." *shrug*

I'm not going to have a little swashbuckler running around Sanctuary with a flintlock pistol, that does not fit with the Diablo mood at all.

Why doesn't it fit? Amazons are a horrible idea to me. I mean, I don't like the concept, I don't like stories about them. Whenever I hear Amazon I think about some stories I'd tell or games I'd play as a kid. And yet they work in Diablo II; they come from a race of people where the lithe and dexterous women form the army of their society. As for the Witch Doctors, I would NEVER have thought of them coming into Sanctuary. I mean, look at them! Even in the game they're frail old women and men toddling about on spindly legs... alongside Barbarians, even! And yet they can hold their own.

What's so improbable about soldiers of fortune duking it out with demons? The manual itself admits that most heroes are fighting the demons for nothing more than glory and gold. What's so hard to believe about people using their wits and guile and resourcefulness in combat? Do those have no place in warfare?

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Be it through hallowed grounds or lands of sorrow
All in the Forger's wake is left bereft and fallow

Is the residuum worth the cost of destruction and maiming;
Or is the shaping a culling and exercise in taming?

The road's goal is the dark Origin of Being
But be wary through what thickets it winds.

-Excerpt from the Litany of Residuum;
As Translated by He Who Brings Order